String-box.



AUTON. STRING BOX.

A PPLIOATION FILED DEC. 1, 1911.

Patented July 23, 1912.

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H. AUTON.

STRING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1, 1911.

Patented July 23,- 1912.

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HENRY AUTON, 0F CREWE, ENGLAND.

STRING-BOX.

Specification of I Letters Patent.

Application filed December 1, 1911.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Serial No. 663,294.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY AUTON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Orewe, Cheshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in String-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved revolving string box and is designed to provide an apparatus such that after a length of string has been taken from the supply, the apparatus shall wind up the excess length drawn off, thus keeping the string taut and consequently not liable to become raveled or knotted, and yet leave a suflicient length of string depending from the box to enable succeeding pieces to be drawn ofi.

According to this invention the device comprises a drum for containing a ball of string rotating within an outer casing and controlled by a string a friction brake engaging the drum and being operated by the winding or unwinding of the spring.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1. is a front view of the apparatus, parts of the string drum and easing being shown in section. Fig. 2. is a cross section through Fig. l, on the line AA. Fig. 3. is an end view corresponding to Fig. 2. part of the casing being cut away to show the controlling spring, and Fig. 4. is a plan view of the framework or casing.

The outer frame work or casing 1 is provided at the top with a hook 2 having a swivel connection 3. The lower part of the casing is provided with a slotted guide 4 through which the lengths of twine or string 5 are drawn oil? as required. The sides of the easing are provided with bearings 6 adapted to receive pins or spindles 7 formed on the ends of a drum 8 within which the ball of twine 9 or the like is placed. These bearings may be slotted as indicated at 10 Fig. 2. so that the drum spindles may be entered sidewise therein. One of the spindles is cut at 11 or otherwise constructed to receive the eye of a volute spring 12, the outer end 13 of which is fixed to the casing in such manner that when the drum, on drawing oif the string, has been rotated and the spring wound up the latter will return the drum to its normal position. Passing up through the upper part of the casing is a cranked spindle 14, the cranked portion 14 of which is adapted to bear in certain conditions upon the periphery of the drum, one end of the spindle being continued to form an arm 15 adapted to be engaged by the outer coil of the volute spring 12 and deflect the cranked portion 14 of the spindle, when the spring is extended,

pressing it against the drum periphery, thus acting as a brake to prevent the drum from overwinding itself when the spring is released. The ends 8 of the drum are prefererably made as detachable caps to enable the ball of twine or string 9 to be readily inserted, the free end of the string being then threaded through an orifice 16 in the drum periphery and wrapped several turns around the drum, see Fig. 2., and then finally passed through the slotted guide 4 in the casing. On drawing down a length of string the drum is first rotated, by the uncoiling of the wound string, against the action of the spring until the latter is wound up, when the resistance to further rotation of the drum is greater than that necessary to draw the string out through the drum perforation. On further pulling the string, the inside ball will be unwound to an amount corresponding to that which it is desired to draw OE and on detaching this, the remaining portion of the string will be rewound on the drum until the brake spindle 14 arrests its further rotation, thus always leaving a loose end depending from the apparatus. In order to provide clearance between the drum ends and the casing, the ends may be set up or embossed at 8 in the region of the spindles, and a cap 17 may be provided to house the spring, such cap being provided with a slot 17* to receive the arm 15 of the spindle and being made detachable say by means of screws 18 or the like provided with wing nuts 19.

I claim- A revoluble string box, comprising a framework casing, a string drum revolving in said casing, caps adapted to close the ends of said drum, lugs fixed in the center of said caps and adapted to supply bearings for said drum, a spring, fixed to the outside of In testimony whereof I aifix my signature sa1d casing, adapted to revolve the string in presence of two wlt-nesses. drum, and a cranked brake mounted on the casing and adapted to bear on the periphery HENRY AUTON' 5 of said drum, said brake actuated by the Witnesses:

spring While unwinding to limit the speed of A. J. DAVIES,

the drum. H. WATSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

